The training plan in this proposal is designed to provide biostatisticians with the necessary skills to function quickly and effectively in today's multidisciplinary, team-oriented biomedical research environment, applicable to career paths in academia, government, and industry. The training plan takes advantage of existing strengths in interdisciplinary research and training at North Carolina State University (NCSU), and consists of the following major components: 1. A curriculum tailored to the demands of working at the interface of biostatistics and genomics. The coursework will provide rigorous training in statistical theory and practice, but will also include courses in basic genetics, genomic science, and bioinformatics, as well as elective courses tailored to each student's interests. 2. A suite of activities designed to foster interdisciplinary training and collaboration: a. A group of biological labs will, on a rotating basis, host the trainees and training faculty in a scheduled lab meeting tailored to introduce the research in those labs. b. Trainees will have an extended laboratory "genomics immersion" during their second and third years. The lab meetings will facilitate finding good matches between labs and students. c. Required involvement in an interdisciplinary journal club series. [unreadable] d. Immediate assignment to new students of a mentorship team including both biological and statistical faculty. 3. Degree paths leading to the PhD in either Statistics or Bioinformatics, depending on the strengths and interests of the student. Students in both options will share a core set of courses designed to provide essential training in statistics, genomic science, and bioinformatics, and to enhance the sense of student community. [unreadable] [unreadable] [unreadable]